In the fields of Chivasso, 20 km outside Turin, a manufacturing facility has been erected to fabricate and carry out the rigorous qualification process for the conductors. Outside the facility, a platform measuring 800 metres has been assembled to guide the 10 tonne, 760 metre long TF copper dummy conductor in to the facility. The jacketing was completed after assembling all the sub-components provided by the different contractors. Tratos Cavi produced the cable which was then handed over to Criotec in order to insert it into stainless steel tube composed of 58 individual sections welded together. Subsequently, the dummy conductor was compacted and spooled. Following the successful validation process, the conductor was packed into a 100 m3box for shipment to another facility in La Spezia (Italy), where the consortium responsible for the fabrication of the TF winding packs, would carry out trials.
As part of the TF conductor qualification, ICAS is expected to produce three TF dummy conductors. After the successful completion of the copper conductor, two super-conducting dummies will be fabricated within the first semester of this year. Once the qualification process is completed, ICAS will have to deliver 27 production lengths for the ITER TF coils.
Source: F4E
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